Correlations
by Two-Faced Procrastinator
Summary: Everyone, in some bizarre or normal way, were connected to one another, whether you liked it or not. But sometimes, those people were a pain in the ass. Not that Tsunahime could talk, but all this mafia business was getting on her nerves. ON HIATUS. l:I
1. Now, You May

**YES, I CHANGED PART ONE INTO THE PROLOGUE AND MARKED IT AS COMPLETE. THIS IS THE SORT-OF SEQUEL. SORRY.**

this is like a continuation of On the Contrary, so the chapters will be on-going instead of starting again with "Chapter One".

if you haven't read that, please do, or you will be confused. thank yer.

anyroad,

I'm actually pleasantly surprised of how much the ranks shifted. The top suicidal man is now Cozart, instead of (THE ANUS BUTT-MONKEY KING OF ALL BUTT-MONKEYS) Xanxus.

I can't help but troll on that.

TROLLOLOLOLOLOLOL

and Reborn's total votes are going up.

U PPL ARE SO WONDERFULLY SICK ZEHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

and now that the total number of votes have surpassed the 40-mark, i shall limit the number of votes to only one, and the falling choices of suicidal men will be dropped.

GOOD-BYE MY BELOVED TROLL-FACE I'LL MISS YOU TO DEATH

ah, i'll miss Fon too. ***SOB***

btdubs, i was really happy that some ppl voted for him. u guys made my day~ -hearts-

the poll will be closed when the total votes top at least 50-something to 60.

yes, it saddens me too.

i've also decided to tone down my craziness. i have a feeling that some of you don't take me seriously when i say something important, and you think i'm joking.

so sorry, but i gotta. more sadness.

I WROTE LIKE **FIVE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS** BEFORE SETTLING ON THIS ONE.

*SOB* THIS SHOWS HOW MUCH **I SUCK AT FIRST CHAPTERS**.

* * *

><p><strong>Part One<strong>

Correlations.

"Everyone, in some way, is connected, whether you like it or not."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

And Now, You May...

* * *

><p>"I am <em>not<em> wearing a dress."

Tsunahime crossed her arms and gave her father a defiant look. Reborn smirked, looking smug as the nearby attendees were torn between trying to flirt or praise the most famous hitman in the world. Then it fell as his daughter shot them a glare and they scurried away, scared and fully convinced she was his offspring(?).

The hitman rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Look, personally, I don't care _what_ you wear." He waved at the direction of his ex-wife's room, just next door. "But if you want to make _Nana_ happy," he jerked his thumb at the tacky dress behind him, "you really _don't_ have a choice."

The brunette looked past her father and to the bright pink gown. She shivered at how stupid she would look in it. She looked at Reborn with pleading eyes. "But-"

"No buts."

Tsunahime scowled and stomped her foot in frustration, something Reborn thought was impossibly cute for such a fiery girl. She glared at the dress, as if doing that would make the ornate clothing burn up to nothing, then puffing up her cheeks and directing her eyes at the carpeting floor, her arms now lowered and gripping the bottom edge of her hoodie.

Reborn chuckled at his daughter's childish actions, turning his head around to take a clear look at the dress. "Well, that thing _is_ a horrid excuse for a dress..." He looked down at his fiery daughter, smiling crookedly at her hopeful gaze. "I can't _not_ make you wear a dress, but it won't hurt to choose a different one."

The brunette scrunched up her nose, an adorable habit both she and her twin brother shared and tended to do when they heard or saw something super funky. "It's still a dress," she grumbled, but walking over to the array of dresses anyway.

The hitman smiled fondly at his daughter and went over to her, his eyes scanning the clothes. The one at the end caught his attention and he reached over, plucking it out. It was a deep orange, the silky fabric giving a shiny sheen to it that reminded him of blazing flames. He laughed deep in this throat at how fitting it was for her, the sound coming out as a warm baritone vibrato.

Tsunahime glanced over at her father, wondering what made him laugh like that. She saw the dress in his hands and let out a whispered gasp, her eyes sparkling appreciatively. Reborn saw her facial expression and laughed some more, earning himself a faint blush. He handed the garment to her and went out the room, shutting the door behind him.

Tsunahime all but tore her clothes off, eager to put the sunset orange dress. The strapless A-line style a little too revealing and snug for her comfort, but the color and texture were more than enough to convince her to wear it. The gown had no other added decorations besides the rippling flare that smoothed out from the torso. Simple and elegant, just the way she liked it.

She'd managed to put it on, but the zipper was too tiny for her to grasp and pull. After a few tries, she sighed in resignation and went over the the door, opening it and calling out to the hitman, who was leaning on the other door as if on guard (which he probably was).

Reborn pushed himself off, giving his daughter a questioning look. "What is it?"

Tsunahime turned around so he saw her open back and looked over her shoulder at it. "The zipper's too small. Close it for me."

The hitman complied, snickering at her unbashful attitude. He patted her back and spun her back around, stepping back to see her in full-body. His daughter was definitely eye-catching. "I'm such a wonderful father," he said flamboyantly, flipping the hair that wasn't there, "you should consider yourself lucky."

The petite brunette grinned and laughed at his antics, placing her hands at her hips. "Yeah, sure." She pushed him lightly, eyes twinkling with mirth. "Whatever you say, my _wonderful father_." Closing the door behind her, she headed toward the room where her mother was changing. "Did they _have_ to arrange their wedding here? I mean, it's pretty damn ironic if you ask me," she said, frowning slightly.

Nana had decided to have her and Iemitsu's marriage at the biggest church in Italy, inviting all of their friends. The decision was simply just black humor to Tsunahime, considering more than half of the people were going to or already connected to mafia in some or other way. God be damned if _all_ of them were. In fact, she didn't doubt that it was true.

"What, she can't spoil herself once in a while?" Reborn walked beside her, matching her pace.

Tsunahime gave her father a pointed look and then rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. I'm bet ninety-percent of the people coming the the wedding today have some kind of weapon they're hiding." With her father's line of work, she was probably right. Reborn's low chuckle confirmed it.

Tsunahime stopped in front of her mother's dressing room and knocked on the door. "Mama? Can I come in?"

The door opened widely, and the petite brunette was greeted by the most beautiful woman in the world. At least, the most beautiful in her viewpoint. Nana was glowing, her entire being shining like the sun. Her mother was so happy that Tsunahime made a mental note to herself to give her soon-to-be step-father her consent of approval.

Nana put her hands to her mouth, smiling as wide as the horizon. She went over to her daughter, grasping the fifteen-year-old's hands with one gloved hand and using the other to touch the side of the younger brunette's face.

"You look so pretty, Tsu-chan," she cooed, pride gleaming in her kind yet strong-willed eyes. The bride looked past her daughter and at the silent hitman behind her, giggling. "What in the world did you do to make her wear a dress? I can only imagine."

Reborn cracked a grin, but his eyes were distant, as if he were seeing something long and far away into the past. "Only imagine," he murmured, echoing his ex-wife's astonished words.

Tsunahime turned around, furrowing her eyebrows. She hadn't missed the strange tone in her father's usual blunt and steely voice. She knew that he still had quite the soft spot for Nana, but to this degree...

The brunette faced her mother, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry, Mama, but I think I should go check on Lambo." Her youngest brother was in good care, actually, but Nana didn't need to know that. Reborn was far too out of it for his good.

Her mother nodded in understanding, giggling some more. "You're such a wonderful sister, Tsu-chan. Could you see if Tsu-kun is alright as well?" Her daughter nodded, going to her father. But before she could even touch him, she heard a horrified gasp from her mother. The brunette whipped around, alarmed, but then blinked in confusion when she saw Nana staring at her feet. "Um... what's wrong?"

Without answering Nana hurried over to the mess of pumps on the floor, digging around in the pile for a few minutes until she yanked out two matching stiletto heels. She turned back around with a victorious look on her face, and set them right in front of Tsunahime's feet, saying, "wear these. They'll look so much better with the dress than those boots."

Tsunahime paled at how high the heels were, but unable to deny her mother, she reluctantly slid out of her beloved boots and knelt, gingerly putting the pumps on. "I am _so_ going to die in these," she groaned, quietly so that Nana didn't hear her. She stood slowly, scrunching her nose up at how weird it felt to see things in a taller height.

"Well," she started, taking a cautious, wobbly step to turn herself around, "I'll be going, Mama. Can't wait to see you at the wedding." _If I don't trip and die 'til then, that is._

* * *

><p>"I hate suits," Tsuna declared, muttering under his breath as he stared at himself in the mirror.<p>

He looked absolutely _ridiculous_. The collar damn near choked him, and the tie wasn't helping at all. People like his father and soon-to-be step-brother looked good in them, not frail boys like him. It was as if he were a little boy trying the mimic the older men and getting looks that said he was cute when he was expecting the same respect as them.

With a sigh he picked up his mittens and rubbed them on his cheeks, smiling at the ever-present warmth they gave him. Then he felt the worn wool, the fine lines of sewn hems, and frowned. He sighed again, this time with a more tired tone. They were falling apart, and his mother's sewing could only do so much.

He'd expected it, but he was still sad that they weren't going to last much longer. They'd done more than warm his hands. They were his source of comfort, a reminder that there were people who accepted as he was when bullies said he was no-good and useless, that no one wanted him.

They were irreplaceable, and no matter how soft or pleasing to look at, there would be none other pair of mittens that would ever come to compare to these.

Tsuna shook his head sadly and looked down at them, tracing the numerous sewn lines that stitched his wonderful mittens together with his fingers. He didn't want to part with them just quite yet, and had a feeling his everyday times would feel wrong without them being there in his pockets.

_I wish I could do something to help you,_ he thought to his woolly mittens, and cracked a wry smile. _How silly. As if they could hear me._ Yet, Tsuna hoped they could, somehow. He imagined, in another world, they were something that was very important to his life. They were something that he would be nothing without.

With extreme caution, he folded them and put them in his pockets, then pulled his suit jacket over the bulge they formed in his slacks so they wouldn't be noticed. And with a final sigh, he went out the room and began to search for the main chapel.

* * *

><p>If she had known how long the sermon was, she would have sneaked in some kind of music player to listen to.<p>

Tsunahime sighed quietly through her nose, staring at the serene form of her mother. She looked so peaceful and content. _And so beautiful,_ she added silently. The brunette sat in the very last row, right on the outer edge. Reborn sat next to her. He hadn't uttered a single word since he'd seen his ex-wife in the changing room.

She hated to admit, but she was concerned for the hitman. It was unusual for him to be so quiet near her. She knew that if he'd been acting normally, he would have cracked some corny joke about the event by now.

The brunette let out a relieved sigh as she heard Iemitsu recite his vows. It was finally getting over with. She also heard muttering coming from Reborn and turned her head to look at him, eyes widening when she saw that he was, too, saying the vows. Unable to find her voice, she reached over and grabbed his hand in hers, hoping it would provide some sort of emotional support.

After Nana had spoken hers, the priest spoke again in his droning voice, "and now, you may-"

"_-kiss the bride,_" the hitman finished, whispering so quietly only his daughter could hear it. Tsunahime winced at the pressure her father was putting in his grip on her hand, but didn't say anything and merely squeezed gently back in reassurance. Reborn redirected his gaze to their clasped hands a second before Nana and Iemitsu sealed the deal, smiling in what was definitely relief and contentment.

The entire audience stood, cheering and clapping wildly in happiness for the newly wed. Tsunahime took the chance to get away from the event, pulling Reborn with her. Sure enough, no one noticed them slip out the open doors, too focused on the couple standing in the front.

The more distance she put between them and the main chapel, the more faint the noise became. Father and daughter didn't say anything as they walked side by side with their hands held together- their atmosphere said everything that had to be said between the two. In any normal circumstances, they would have been extremely embarrassed. But at the current moment, they were fine with it and didn't care if anyone saw.

They ended up in the dining room, which was twice the size of the chapel. Tsunahime gaped at the many variety of foods lining the walls, and then laughed at herself for acting like such a foreigner. She heard her father snicker and gave him a look, but quickly dissolved into more laughter as she failed to keep her face straight. She let go of his hand and went over to the nearest chair, sighing tiredly. Reborn sat behind her.

"This marriage shit takes too long," the brunette grumbled, crossing her legs from under the skirts of her beautiful dress. "What time is it?"

Reborn didn't even look down at his watch when he answered. "Around nine." He smirked in amusement as his daughter counted off the time from when the wedding started and ended.

Tsunahime's nose crinkled up cutely. "Wow. Three hours, huh?" Then she bent, hitching up her gown, and began to undo the straps of her high heels. She let out a breath of relief and wriggled her now-free toes, laughing when she saw the look on Reborn's face as she did so. She picked the pumps up and set them on the chair next to her, swinging her legs back and forth.

"Those things are pure hell," she said with a cheeky grin, shivering when her feet touched the cold marble floor. Bracing herself, she stood. She let out a little sound as the cold bit on the soles of her feet, but pranced to the center anyway, her laughs resounding throughout the chamber. She held out her hands at her father, smiling widely as she beckoned him over. "Teach me how to dance!"

Tsunahime grinned broadly as he rolled his eyes at her childish behavior but stood and came to her anyway. She laced her hands together behind the nape of his neck and made a face as he placed his on her waist, snickering as he made a face of his own. "Just so you know, it'll hurt like crazy if you step on me."

Reborn raised an eyebrow, scoffing. "Please." He grinned in a crooked fashion. "I'm too much of a pro to do that. But if you're that scared..." He trailed off, earning himself a questioning look. Tightening the grip on his daughter's waist, he lifted her off her feet and put her back down on top of his dress shoes. "There. Better?"

The petite brunette grimaced, then quirked a smile. "Actually, no. Too close." Even though she said that, she made no move to get off and squeaked in surprise when the hitman started to move.

They managed about five minutes of dancing before the mob came in. Nana and Iemitsu were in the very front, and were the first ones to see them. The bride giggled at her daughter and ex-husband while the groom gaped at them. "Aw, you took the first dance before we could!"

Instead of getting embarrassed and letting go of her father, Tsunahime merely grinned, cackling like a witch at the expression on her now-official step-father. "Then take the second one before Ieyatsu ("Hey!") and Tsuna do!"

With that, Iemitsu shook himself out of his stupor and asked his newly-wed wife for a dance. With a blush and another giggle, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and they began to dance to phantom music. Tsunahime saw her twin brother's face redden and smirked as her now-step-brother took his hand and dragged the petit boy to an empty space and initiated a dance as well.

That started a butterfly effect, and people were asking their friends if they wanted to dance while the already-matched couples took their place on the floor. The band hurried to the platform, setting their instruments up. In less than ten minutes there were people dancing everywhere and music echoing in the chamber.

Reborn danced his way throughout the entire dining/ball room, smiling as his daughter laughed whenever they twirled, her dress billowing out like the rays of the setting sun. Eyes were swept their way as they passed, awed at how happy the brunette looked. The other two couples that did the same were the newly-weds and step-brothers.

She saw her mother in the corner of her eye as she spun, and turned her head to see her more clearly. Nana looked completely at peace, leaning her head on her husband's chest. Curious, the petite brunette did the same, tightening her arms around Reborn's neck. She closed her earth brown eyes, listening to her father's heartbeat.

"That's funny," she murmured, almost in a tired way, "your heart beats."

Reborn raised his eyebrows. "Of course it does. How else would I live?"

"Ehehe." Tsunahime smiled as a memory came back to her. "Me and Tsuna always used to say that yours wouldn't, because it's made out of stone."

The hitman snorted and pinched her waist, earning himself a yelp. "Haha," he mock-laughed, "is that so? Prepare yourself for punishment." He began to tickle her, grinning evilly and not letting her go even as she stuttered breathy apologies and pleads to stop between her laughter.

The brunette caught her mother's gaze and a silent agreement passed between the two. Then, without warning, she slipped out of Reborn's arms and spun into her step-father's the same time her mother landed into her ex-husband's, laughing like there was no tomorrow all the way. She circled her arms around Iemitsu's neck, snickering at his shocked expression.

Calming down, she spoke in soft tones. "Don't look so scared, Iemitsu," she chastised, smiling, "I'm not going to bite you." She paused, tilting her head, then added, "or kick you." Seeing how pale her step-father was, she grinned, amused.

"But in all seriousness," she said, smiling softly, "I want to give you my consent." She wrinkled her nose. "Sorry, that sounded pretty obnoxious, didn't it? I meant to say that I want you to feel comfortable around me from now on. It would be weird for a father to look like he'd seen a ghost every time he's with his daughter, right?"

Iemitsu nodded, relaxing when he saw that she wasn't going to threaten or hurt him in any way. Tsunahime grinned cheekily, using her bare feet to spin them around. "Okay, well, I've got only one more thing to say before I switch again." She thought for a bit, humming. Then her face brightened. "That's right!" Tsunahime loosened her grip and let her arms swing freely at her sides. "I also want to thank you, for making Mama happy. It's been a while since she'd ever spoiled herself."

With that she twirled to her still-dancing brothers. Using her hip to bump Tsuna out of Giotto's arms, she grabbed her twin's hands and spun him into their new father, taking his place as Giotto's partner. Tsuna stammered an apology as he collided with the sturdy man, jumping in surprise as Iemitsu laughed with his booming voice at his step-son's shy and humble attitude.

"What the shit," the twenty-five-year-old Italian blond grumbled, making a face as she grabbed his hands and pulled him closer. Tsunahime smirked at his unease, then grinned wolfishly at his grimace when she slid even closer. "That's not nice, _Ieyatsu_," she purred, purposefully using his first name and putting a more than necessary emphasis to it.

Giotto scowled, leaning backward in an attempt to make some space between them, and failed as she noticed and pressed against him so that their chests were touching. "Don't-"

"-call me by my first name," Tsunahime finished for him, rolling her eyes and chortling at his discomfort. "I know. That's why I said it, you dunce." Before he could retort, she spoke again. "Say, what makes me so different from Tsuna, anyway? We look almost alike, don't we?"

Giotto scoffed. "Yeah. But he's better than you in lots of other ways. He's-"

"-he's kind, he's caring, he's sweet, he's cute, he's adorable, he's polite, he's selfless, he's everything I'm _not_ and just _can't be_." Tsunahime smiled wryly, her face smug yet wistful. She chuckled at the speechless expression on the blond's handsome face, pulling away so they didn't look like they were stuck together like glued paper. "I know that too. Do you know that he has Gynophobia as well? He's also scared of dogs, especially the chihuahua on the end of the street."

Giotto raised his eyebrows. "He's afraid of women and little annoying mutts? How does that happen?" He smiled at the possibilities, laughing quietly at them. Tsunahime shrugged, looking like she didn't care. "Who knows? You can ask him." Then she looked at Giotto straight in the eye, in all seriousness. "Are you really going to let Tsuna in this mafia business?"

Her step-brother fell silent, his crystalline-blue eyes lowered. His face had a pained look. "I-... I don't have a choice. Either tell him now and prepare him for what's coming in the future, or risk him being dead because he has no clue what's going on." He took a deep breath before continuing. "He's like Pandora's Box. So many powers are inside him, and others are willing to do anything to get a hold of them."

Tsunahime closed her eyes, letting out a shaky exhale. "I see. Did you make him fall in love with you just because he's some weapon of mass destruction? Or-"

"That's not it! I love Tsunayoshi. I love him so much, it _hurts_." The intensity of his gaze and his words struck a chord in the brunette. They were so nostalgic, but she couldn't remember who he reminded her of. "He's the only reason I haven't tried to kill myself!"

Tsunahime looked into Giotto's sky-blue eyes, trying to look through his well-made barrier to his true emotions, to see if he was lying or not. "So you're going to let him into a world that even made _you_ want to commit suicide?" She rolled her eyes. "Two peas in a pod, I swear. Look, don't worry about Tsuna. He's stronger than you think."

The petite brunette smiled brightly, missing how the blond's eyes widened at it. "After all, he _is_ Reborn's son." She saw his face and gave him a questioning look. "What?"

Giotto chuckled, smiling in a disarming way. "Nothing, just... You and Tsuna aren't so different as you think."

A spray of pink tinted Tsunahime's cheeks, and she giggled quietly. "Don't go cheating on my brother with me, you two-timer."

With a laugh she detached herself from her step-brother and spun away, gleefully ignoring his protests and heading to the vast row of foods instead. She grabbed a plate and heaped random bits of food onto it, giving them hardly a thought. Then she trotted to the nearest chair, a fork in hand and the plate of mystery in the other.

Her eye twitched involuntarily as she looked at the delicacies on her paper plate properly now. She rolled over what looked like snails slathered in green vomit with the plastic utensil in her hand. _What in the world?_

"Those are escargots from France."

Tsunahime looked up and damn near dropped her plate.

"The snails themselves aren't such a batch of peas, but the pesto sauce on them get a good kick at you."

The stranger had hair the color of red apples, a vivid and deep shade that other such redhead's didn't have. He was tall and had a lanky build, but something told her that he wasn't to be underestimated. He looked like he was in his late teens, and was as equally - if not more - handsome as her step-brother and father, but his aura had a more amiable feel to it.

His eyes. Dear God, his _eyes_. They didn't have pupils, instead having a shape similar to the outline of the four major points of a rose compass. They were red, red, red. The rich, lucid red that was darker than his hair and shined like rubies. They drew her in like gravity, entrancing her in a way nothing had ever done.

Realizing that she was staring, Tsunahime ducked her head to hide her raging blush. "Oh, re- really?" She mentally punched herself for sounding so lame. She heard him chuckle and flushed all the way to the tips of her fingers. Embarrassed beyond belief, she bit the bottom of her lip and set her quite-full plate aside, rising from her seat.

The petite brunette turned around, her hair casting a shadow over her eyes. "Excuse me," she mumbled, starting toward the open doors of the ballroom.

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

Tsunahime felt a rush of cooling warmth spread throughout her body as his fingers closed around her wrist. Her eyes flickered back and forth between earth brown and sunset orange, the temperature of the air around her head rising. She looked at him, and something inside her exploded open.

A bright orange flame burst on her forehead, skyrocketing high above her for second before settling down. Her eyes glowed the same brilliant color as the fire burning on top of her head, and her feet no longer felt so cold.

She saw the same thing happen to the stranger, except his flame was a reddish-brown color and additional points appeared on his rose-compass pupils. His hand was hot, searing on her skin. But unlike her, he seemed happily content, as if he were expecting it to happen and glad that it finally did.

The sound of Giotto calling out to her twin brother made her break eye contact with the alluring young man, and her bright orange eyes widened as she saw that both her brothers were in the same predicament as her. But while twenty-year-old didn't look effected by it, Tsuna was bent over with an agonized look on his face.

The hands that were clutching his head were covered by armored gloves of some sort that were slowly morphing into something else. They touched the flame on his forehead, and the orange blazes enveloped them as well. Alarmed, Tsunahime started forward to her brother, shouting his name.

The grip on her wrist tightened, stopping the brunette in her tracks and making her wince. She turned back around to face him, confusion clear in her expression. Her blazing eyes scanned his ornate ones, wondering what he wanted from her.

He moved his hand so that it held hers, and brought her hand to his lips, kissing its back tenderly. He pulled back, straightening, and chuckled at her blush. He flipped her hand up and placed something in her palm, moving her fingers so they closed into a fist around the object. Then he leaned in close, tugging her gently to him.

"My name is Cozart Shimon." Tsunahime shivered as his warm breath tickled her ear. "Keep my treasure safely for me until we meet again..." He moved his head higher, and placed a sweet kiss on her bare forehead, the flame on it having long been extinguished. _"...my beloved Princess."_

Then he let go, and walked away, giving her one last crooked smile as he turned. Tsunahime couldn't move, even though she wanted to chase after him. It wasn't until that he was gone and out of her sight that she remembered the item in her hand. She uncurled her fingers slowly, and inspected it.

It was a ring. There was no inlaid gem of any sort, just a hexagon-shaped outline with wrapped-bandage patterns inside. Looking closer at it, she saw writing inscribed along the edges. It was in a language she wasn't familiar with, but carved on the back of the hexagon was the word "**Shimon**", bold and clear.

_His last name_, she realized, thinking to herself. Tsunahime shook her head and made a fist around the ring. The fiery orange faded back into the original earth brown. Her feet felt unbearably cold.

Steeling herself, she made her way to her brother.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Chapter<strong>

Knock And It Shall Be Opened Unto You.

* * *

><p>AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH *SOBSOBSOBSOBSOBSOB*<p>

IT TOOK MORE THAN THREE DAYS TO DO THIS

I KNOW IT'S A LOT TO TAKE IN BUT PLEASE BEAR WITH ME

also, i'm not going to bother fixing anything that i missed.

too long.

IF I MISSED IT I MISSED IT OKAY? IT'S NOT LIKE I'LL DIE IF I DON'T CORRECT IT.

about the sudden Cozart appearance...

he's like the top person so i thought, why not?

also, i am very sad to say this, but

THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE APPEARING SOMETIME NEXT WEEK.

yes, sadness...

i have to go to the Poconos for some church retreat which MY FFFFFFFFFFFFF OF A MOTHER DID NOT ASK ME IF I WANTED TO GO OR NOT TO

sigh.

so, leik, this will have to satisfy you ppl until the next one comes.

in fact, i'm working on it. i hav like, half a thousand words done.

yes, i know. not a big progress.

BUT WHATEV.

don't forget to vote on the poll~

AND REVIEW DAMMIT. I EXPECT _**AT LEAST TEN**_ TO LOOK FORWARD TO WHEN I RETURN, YOU PPL HEAR ME IWANT TO SEE _**TEN**_

ZEHAHAHAHAH TROLLOLOLOLOL


	2. Knock And It Shall Be Opened Unto You

**YOU PPL ARE SO FAITHFUL.**

**THE REVIEW COUNT IS UP TO TEN.**

**ENJOY THE UN-CLIMAX-MAXED CHAPTER.**

**:'D**

i come back from the stupid-ass retreat and i see hardly any progress in the poll.

LOOK. I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE GETTING TIRED OF THE CONSTANT REMINDER TO VOTE. BUT THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT. _**OBVIOUSLY.**_

but then again, you can't vote twice. derp. l:T

whatever. i'll do this anyway. becuz i enjoy the reviews.

you know, looking back at the chapters i wrote and reading them all over again kinds makes me think that i could've done better and that they weren't all that good.

*SOBBERS*

but what comes goes. so FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF- for that.

so. HOW DOES THIS BETA THING WORK AGAIN?

TROLLOLOLOL

actually, don't review on that. it's rhetorical. :I

this one reader said i described Cozart really well. in actuality, that wasn't my intention. writing his eyes in detail almost killed me XD

but, thank you. you made my pleasantly surprised.

GUESS WHO'S COMING ZEHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

(i seem to start my chapters frequently with someone saying something. TROLLOLOL)

OH MY FLIP. I'M CURRENTLY READING THE NEWEST KHR MANGA CHAPTER, AND _HOT __DAMN_, ADULT COLONNELLO IS **DROP-DEAD SEXY**.

...i didn't notice until the fourth page that Tsuna curses. ;_; ruins my innocent view of him. *SOBSOBSOB*

**"Mukuro, you bastard... I'm way stronger than you!"**

;^; the underlined word is what upset me. and then the egoism shattered my soul.

(btdubs... Squalo looks like a man-girl. he totally does.)

HAR HAR HAR KYOYA YOU PRETTY BOY YOU~

**HEY PPL. YOU CAN THANK qXyrin FOR THE BEGINNING OF THIS CHAP. ZEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

**I TOLD YOU I WOULD CALL YOU OUT GURL**

XD

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

Knock And It Shall Be Opened Unto You.

* * *

><p>It was a Sunny morning, the birds were chirping...<p>

The weather was wonderful.

A gentle breeze of the lingering summer...

Puffy clouds that reminded you of cotton candy drifted lazily in the clear blue skies...

The perfect day to go out and play with your friends.

_So..._ Tsunahime was laid on a stiff bed, basking in the warm sunlight with her eyes closed and face a perfect calm. _Why the hell am I at school?_

More specifically, she was in the nurse's office, lying on the cot closest to the window nearest to the farthest corner from the door. The curtain was pulled around it, hiding her form but not her shadow.

The brunette was here simply because she wanted to. And the nurse was a nice person that minded her own business when time called for it.

Plus, she had a headache from arguing with Giotto about Tsuna's virginity. She recalled the angry bickering.

* * *

><p>"YOU FUCKING PEDOBEAR."<p>

"WHAT THE SHIT?"

"HIIIIIE! Tsu- Tsuna! Wh- why did you drop Dad's hammer-encyclopedia on Ieyatsu's face?"

"THIS STUPID BLOND JUST POPPED YOUR CHERRY, DIDN'T HE? RAPISTS MUST BE PUNISHED."

"I DIDN'T HAVE SEX WITH TSUNAYOSHI, YOU DUMB BITCH."

"GYAAAAA! WHAT THE HECK, YOU TWO!"

"SILENCE, MY DEAR BROTHER. I WILL AVENGE YOU."

"OH MY GOD, YOU'RE SO FULL OF CRACK."

"Please... just stop..."

"I'LL TELL ON DAD FOR THIS, YOU PEDO."

"WHAT ARE YOU, _FIVE_? Look, I didn't force Tsunayoshi!"

"...you're giving her the wrong idea, Ieyatsu."

"SO YOU _DID_ HAVE SEX. YOU'RE ONLY _FIFTEEN_, TSUNA! AND HE'S, LIKE, _OLD_."

"Gee, your vocabulary is so wide."

"He's only ten years older than me, Sis. It's not like there are others like us out in the world. For instance: there's that famous literature author, Usami Akihiko-san."

"Ah... my sweet, innocent brother... you have been tainted by this evil in the same bed as you... PREPARE YOURSELF FOR PAIN, YOU STUPID BLOND."

"GAH - FUCKING SHIT - YOU CRAZY BITCH - OW - "

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST KICKED HIM _THERE_, TSUNA!"

"No, worries, he had no balls in the first place. It shouldn't have hurt. Too much."

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU FUCKING PSYCHOPATH."

"I've never seen him so pissed... He's so out of character... I'm going to cry..."

"Look what you did. You really _are_ blond. And a jerk."

"I hate you. So much. You know that?"

"I've never felt so violated in my life..."

"I'm a sister. It's what we do."

* * *

><p>Tsunahime cracked a grin, then wincing as the dull throbbing in her head worsened. It had been so fun, teasing her brothers like that.<p>

She gripped her head, letting out a quiet hiss of pain. Closing her eyes, she attempted to ease it by falling asleep.

Sure enough, she began to lull into the comforting blackness.

* * *

><p><em>She didn't know if it was a dream, a nightmare, or if it was some memory of when she was little.<em>

_A dream, because her vision was cloudy, and her body was light as a feather._

_A nightmare, because the scenery never changed, and she could never speak._

_A memory, because she had this strange feeling of nostalgia and painful longing._

_And, the same person._

_Always, it was the same person._

_The same hair color. It was a deep, vibrant shade of red. It reminded her of the red of dawn, rubies, apples, cherries. She couldn't stop staring at such a beautiful sight._

_"Oh, really? Although, I think I like yours better."_

_The same smile. It was lopsided, crooked in an endearing way. She loved how it sloped on one side and dropped on the other. It always made the hurt in her heart lessen._

_"Does it? Alrighty then, I'll keep smiling, just for you."_

_The same broad chest and strong arms. They were sturdy, and she felt so comforted and secure whenever she leaned into them. The sound of the beating heart calmed her._

_"You sure love hugs, don't you? I don't know anyone else that likes 'em more than you do."_

_But she couldn't see the rest of this man's face. What happened to the eyes? Why couldn't she see them?_

_"Ah, such a sweet darling. My dear Princess... You've yet to see my entire person."_

_Entire person? Was there someone else she had to meet?_

_"Well, something like that. He's a little shy, but I'm sure he'll open up to you."_

_Who was it? A brother? A son? A special someone?_

_"No, I've already got my special someone in my arms. He's still me, but a tad bit different."_

_'Still me'? A split personality, then?_

_"Close, but not exactly. Don't worry, you'll meet him soon. He'll probably be the shrinking violet of the class, so it'll be easy to point him out."_

_She feels lips press on her cheek as the arms around her loosen._

_"I'm counting on you, Princess."_

* * *

><p>Tsunahime opened her eyes and was met by the plaster white of the ceiling. She draped an arm on top of her eyes and rolled over to one side, sighing quietly. She heard the wheels of a chair move towards her cot.<p>

"Tsuna-chan? Are you alright? Does your head hurt? Do you want some aspirin? Or would you like some water?"

Instead of being annoyed by the bombard of questions, the brunette only smiled, knowing the care in the nurse's voice was sincere. She sat up, a small smile gracing her lips.

"No, Mrs. Luce," she replied, chuckling, "I'm fine. Just a... bad dream."

Luce was her first name, but Tsunahime opted for that instead of "Mrs. Gigli Nero". Luce was an old friend of her father's, partners of some company way back when. She was a kind and strong woman, a trait that reminded Tsunahime of her mother. She liked it, and felt at ease with her around.

"A bad dream? Aren't those called 'nightmares'?"

Tsunahime smiled a little wider. "Nah, I don't get nightmares. It was just a bad dream," she murmured, seeing the man clearly in her head. The curtain to her cot swished open, revealing a pregnant woman with a loving smile and soothing sapphire eyes.

The brunette brought her knees up and knocked her head on them, seeing the woman sideways now. The smile on her face stuck to her face as the nurse rolled her chair next to the cot she was on.

"Whew," Luce sighed, then giggled. She smoothed a delicate hand over her bulging belly, her face a complete look of love. "Aria is so eager to get out of Mommy's tummy, isn't she? Daddy wants to see you too, sweetheart."

Tsunahime chuckled at the soon-to-be mother's cooing, a strange feeling bubbling warmly inside her. "Hey, Mrs. Luce?" The pregnant woman looked up questioningly, her entire being radiating happiness. "What does it feel like, to have another living being inside you?"

Luce hummed in thought, tapping her chin lightly with a graceful finger. "Hmm... well..." She smiled widely, as if she had an idea. "I'm not sure if I can explain it, Tsuna-chan." Her eyes dazed off, eyelids lowered to create a dreamy look. "But somehow, the thought of having a child that would love you unconditionally and never hate you makes you feel... _complete._"

The brunette closed her eyes, trying to feel what the school nurse was telling her. She felt nothing, until the man in her "bad dream" popped into her head. Her eyes snapped open, and she gasped softly in surprise.

Luce immediately leaned forward, a look of concern adorning her beautiful face. "What's wrong? Does it hurt anywhere? Here, I'll get you some water - "

Tsunahime gently grasped the pregnant woman's long sleeve, tugging her back down. She smiled, but the moisture shining in her eyes said otherwise. Luce sat back down slowly, eyebrows furrowed worriedly. She placed a hand on the fifteen-year-old's hunched shoulder, and it relaxed. "Tsuna-chan? What's wrong?"

Tsunahime blinked the unshed tears away and stretched out her long, slender legs. She began to hum, reaching out to touch her toes, and laid her head on her thighs. "Nothing. I just..." She trailed off, picking her head up and laughing at herself. "I think I know what you're talking about now, Mrs. Luce."

The nurse blinked in confusion, then smiled brightly, sighing in relief. "Really? It feels good, right?"

The brunette grinned. "Yeah, it does." The grin turned wolfish. "Better than fighting, actually."

As she expected, the pregnant nurse pouted, disapproval clear on her lovely face. "I thought I told you to stop getting hurt and hurting others, Tsuna-chan!"

Tsunahime swung her legs off the cot, slipping into her boots and standing. "You did." She pranced to the door, her melodious laughter resounding throughout the room. "But when do I ever listen?" She waved over her shoulder and trotted down the empty halls, her headache completely cleared.

As she was passing the Disciplinary Committee Office, she saw something that caught her interest. She peered through the slightly ajar door, snickering quietly in mischief.

It was Hibari Kyoya with a different blond. They were on the couch, the skylark's arms was draped over the man's shoulders with his chin on top of his head, blushing faintly. The stranger chuckled, pressing his lips on the prefect's neck in a gentle, loving manner, wrapping his arms around the younger male's waist securely.

The sixteen-year-old closed his eyes and smiled genuinely, something Tsunahime thought his pride didn't allow. He tilted his head so that his cheek rested on the blond's choppy hair, sighing in what the brunette identified as contentment.

Then he leaned back, using his hands to cup his lover's face and bring it to his. Their lips met for a short but sweet moment, separating only to smile at another. They began to converse in hushed tones and Tsunahime strained her ears to eavesdrop, even though it wasn't all that hard to hear them since the room was quiet.

"Dino," the prefect started, his voice shockingly soft, "I'm going to bite you to death if someone sees us like this."

The man named Dino laughed deep in his throat, kissing his shy(?) lover on the nose. The action was so adorable Tsunahime had to resist the urge to puke. "I had Romario and some others on patrol, darling. No one's going to get in anytime soon." He buried his face on the crook of the skylark's neck, inhaling the scent of metal and barley tea.

"I missed you, love," Dino purred, pressing Kyoya even closer to his bigger body. "Paperwork is so tiring. How in the world do you get all of it done, Kyoya?"

The prefect scoffed lightly, blowing at his feathery bangs. "You just do it. It's not that hard," he stated, as if it was obvious. Then he yanked himself away, his iron-gray eyes literally sparkling with anticipation. "Fight me," he demanded, reaching for his tonfa hidden in the folds of his discarded committee jacket lying next to them.

Dino's eye twitched. "Er, can I refuse?" Without answering, Kyoya slammed one steel bludgeon on the couch's back, missing the blond's head by a few centimeters. The older male sighed in exasperation, glancing at the fearsome dent the tonfa left nervously. "I guess not."

And then, just like that, they were fighting. Tsunahime deadpanned, her eyebrows raised, and lowered her cellphone. She had taken all the juicy moments with her camera, up until Kyoya had initiated the brawl.

She opted to watch instead of snapping more shots, knowing that at their speed of exchanging blows was too fast to capture clearly - they would all come out as blurs. Finally, after nearly thirty minutes of pain, Dino had cracked the tonfas out of Kyoya's grasp, swept his legs out from under him, and tied his hands together with his bullwhip. The blond hovered over the prefect, grinning victoriously.

He leaned in close, chuckling. "Looks like I win," he commented, using his free had to brushed the sweat-matted hair away from his little lover's face. Kyoya grunted, wrinkling his nose in a rather cute fashion. That only made the blond grin even wider, and then he all but devoured the bloodthirsty teen's open mouth.

Tsunahime had taken four snapshots. One was the blond looming over his lover's downed form, next was him clearing his lover's face mid-action, the third was when Dino was just about to kiss Kyoya, and the last was them in their current situation. If she counted the ones before the fight, she had a total of seventeen photos - seventeen delicious pieces of grade-A blackmail material.

It was even better than the one she took of her brothers, which she still had in her possession, although she had lied and said she'd deleted it. Such a pretty picture didn't deserve the trashcan. No one knew about her secret file of back-stabbing snaps she stored in her un-suspicious USB.

It was shaped like a tiny, super-thin square, no bigger than her thumbnail. It was small enough to fit into the hollow of the Shimon ring, which she hung in a chain around her neck. It was locked with a complicated password and designed to erase every single file it contained if someone tired to hack into it. She knew well enough that it was risky, but it was better to have no evidence.

The thing probably costed more than a small fortune. But she'd nicked it from Iemitsu's wide arrange of advanced technology stuff in his suitcase, which she broke into so easily she felt insulted, all in all resulting in absolutely no drop in her wallet.

_Anyway,_ she told herself, _even if someone tried to steal it, I have a tracker on my cell._ And she doubted there was anyone who could outrun her on foot. Automobiles were another matter, but she always had the strongest hitman in the world and the CEO of the most powerful, not to mention largest, company on earth to use if that were to happen (though the latter was by blackmail).

That is, if the morons _found_ it first.

Tsunahime straightened, shutting her cellphone shut with a look of satisfaction on her face. She then proceeded to skip down the hallway, knowing the soft thumping of her boot-covered feet wasn't quite enough to alert the two lovebirds of her presence.

Stopping at the classroom with the only window next to a tree, she went inside, weaving effortlessly between the unoccupied desks. Reaching the window, she slid it open and climbed onto the metal-edged sill. Then she hopped onto the nearest branch, not the slightest bit alarmed as it swayed under the sudden weight.

Tsunahime had done this so many times she knew what to do with her eyes closed and not mess up her footing. Of course, she never did it during school days. Luce happened to be an excellent therapist and quite the wonderful company. And she didn't have to pay for the treatment of the rare injuries she received from fights. Better yet, it didn't appear on her medical record either.

Dropping on one branch to another, she eventually landed on terra firma the tree was anchored to. As she was crossing the barren front campus, she felt a pair of eyes burning a hole into the back of her head. Knowing who it was, she took out her cellphone and turned around, walking backwards.

Tsunahime waved it high above her head, grinning so wide her cheeks hurt. Then she made the universal sign for a camera with her hands and held it over one eye, laughing as the prefect's face blew up into crimson. Pocketing her portable phone, she cackled as she saw Dino made a the world-wide handsign for her to call him behind his furious lover's back.

She saluted back at the blond, winking. She knew he wanted copies of the photos, and she was more than delighted to comply. Finding him would be no problem. If the blond was smarter than what stereotypics claimed, they would meet in some way, sooner or later.

Seeing the skylark disappear from the window, she turned back around and began to run, building up speed. The school gates were closed, but that was hardly a problem for the brunette.

Just as she heard the sound of chains rattling, Tsunahime launched herself up into the air, using the force she put in her jump to flip herself over the sharp spikes of the black fence surrounding Nami-chu grounds.

She landed on her feet safely, letting out a quiet sigh of accomplishment. Flashing a grin at the seething perfect, she started towards Namimori's shopping district. She knew the town's blueprint like the back of her hand, but so did Kyoya. The brunette used every shortcut she knew, leaping over various obstacles and taking so many sudden turns it made her dizzy.

Tsunahime slowed down, exiting the shady alleyways and entering the wider streets. To her surprise, she heard pounding footsteps and the clashing sound of metal links.

The brunette ducked, rolling into the open. She gaped at the sight of a slightly out of breath Kyoya, then grinned with excitement. The murderous intent he gave off began to effect her, even though she tried to resist it. The recent pictures she took had yet to be stored into her teeny memory chip, and she was definitely not letting her cellphone get destroyed.

Watching the direction of the chains carefully, she made herself move to avoid them so it was nigh impossible to touch the cell in her jacket. It looked like they were dancing, albeit that it was extremely dangerous and they had all the intention to hurt one another.

Deciding to treat herself to a little fun, she took out her cellphone and dangled it teasingly in front of her. She laughed as she dodged the chain that was meaningfully swung to detach the device from her hand (and possibly some fingers).

"You want this? Then take it..." She trailed off, using a hand to unbutton a little of her shirt. The prefect hissed in irritation as he realized what she was doing, gripping his tonfas so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "...if you can." She dropped her cellphone into her cleavage.

"That's foul play," the prefect snarled, reeling in his chains back into his tonfas. Then he dashed forward, his Disciplinary Committee coat billowing out from behind him.

Tsunahime pranced away, grinning joyfully at the feeling of adrenaline rushing throughout her body. Fighting someone as strong as her was rare, and she planned to savor the moment as long as possible.

Kyoya swung his tonfa to her midsection, blinking in disbelief as Tsunahime dropped down to her knees, her back touching the blacktop. Using her hands as a anchor, she rolled her feet back and as quick as lightning kicked up.

Her soles of her boots met with one of Kyoya's tonfas, knocking it out of the hand he was holding it with. Seeing the other steel bludgeon coming down, she threw herself to the side to avoid it, but the end had hit her side.

Wincing in pain, she jumped back to put distance between them. There was a smirk of satisfaction on the skylark's pretty face, twisting it into an image of cold beauty. Tsunahime laughed out loud, shutting her mind off her body's pain as she bent her knees into a crouch.

Everything was a mix of colors, like a palette of paints swirled together by an angry artist. Neither of the Nami-chu students cared if the growing crowd of onlookers recorded their fight. All they could think of was to crush their opponent to the hard unforgiving ground.

Tsunahime leaped into the air as Kyoya aimed for a bone-shattering hit. She grabbed his outstretched arm and yanked him to her, smashing her knee against his ribcage and grinning as she heard the sound of fracturing and breaking.

Kyoya growled, raising his free hand and cracked his steel tonfa onto the side of the brunette's head, snatching his captured limb back.

Dazed by the sharp agony caused by the hit, pure reflex made her other leg snap out in retaliation. The edge of her boot made contact with his jaw, jerking the prefect's head to the side painfully.

Tsunahime somersaulted blindly to unoccupied space, feeling something warm and wet running down her face. Blood oozed heavily out from the injury he'd given her, forcing her to shut her right eye so it wouldn't go into it and block her vision.

Clicking her tongue at the inconvenience, she slicked a hand over her eye and flicked the red liquid to the side. Opening the now clear organ cautiously, she saw that Kyoya was in no perfect condition either.

His stance was wobbly, and blood dribbled out the corner of his lips. The two fearsome fighters were battered and bruised, but they were more worse for wear than what they showed. In the normal bodies of teenagers their age, they would have blacked out from all the pain a long, _long_ time ago. The only thing that kept them on their feet was their iron will to take each other down before one of them fell on their own.

Tsunahime cracked a grin, chuckling at their sorry states. "Whew... you're one tough little birdie, ain't cha?" Her words slurred together, but she wasn't all too concerned about her grammar at the moment. "I ain' seen no one tha' was m' age thadi'n' go down at a kick to th' face b'fore."

Kyoya scoffed, wiping his mouth. "You sound like a cow," he retorted, shoving his dislocated shoulder back into its socket with a grunt at the stinging ache it sent down his arm's length. "Look. All I want is that stupid cellphone with those stupid photos in it. Give it to me and maybe I won't bite you to _death_. Only to hospitalization."

The brunette crossed her arms, ignoring the pain that raced though her torso when she accidentally touched the massive bruise on her side. "No. These pics are a pot of gold, Mister Prefect. Do you have any idea how much the fangirls would pay for a single copy? A _lot_."

Namimori's diligent protector gave her a death glare scary enough to make the surrounding citizens back away in fear and clenched his tonfas in a vice grip. "Does it look like I _care_? Those photos are something I absolutely _cannot_ allow to be shown to the public. Give it to me!"

When he saw her shake her head in refusal, the self-restraint inside him snapped. With a yell of frustration, he flung the tonfa in his writing hand at the brunette. Tsunahime rolled her eyes at the last-ditch attack, swatting it aside without almost no effort. She gave him a curious stare, her interest perked.

"Why do you want it so badly in the first place?" she inquired, raising her eyebrows as the prefect hissed furiously. Seeing his hunched shoulders and bared teeth reminded her of a cat. An angry black one, at that.

Kyoya intensified his glare, if that was possible. "None of your business," he snarled, trying to cool himself down but failing. "Just- just hand it over, dammit!"

Tsunahime blinked at the level of agitation the prefect was showing, and hummed in thought. Then she smiled, the bulb above her head lighting up. "Fine."

The skylark looked taken aback by her readily agreement, then narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "...you're lying," he declared, scowling as the smile on her face grew wider.

The brunette brushed her blood- and sweat-matted hair away from her face. "Well, _duh_." She grinned, turning half-way. "I'm saying I won't show these to anyone. But I'm keeping them anyway." Before he could protest, she continued. "Besides, Dino wants copies. If you want to deck it out at anyone, convince him to tell _me_ to delete the pictures."

Kyoya spat blood from his mouth, frowning deeply. "Why him? Did he hire you to take the shots?"

Tsunahime laughed, waving her hand dismissively. "As if. I'm freelance- I do things at my own pace." She mulled her next words over her tongue, smoothing her hands over her rumpled clothes. "We made a deal, that's all. It's between just the two of us, so I'll be needing his consent to erase the images."

Waving farewell as if they were good buddies she began to jog to the direction of her house, each step sending a jolt of stings throughout her body but not really paying much mind to it.

She had her entertainment for the day, and that was enough. Now, it was her time to have fun at home.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Chapter:<strong>

Fear Is Often Greater Than The Danger Itself.

* * *

><p>YES, I KNOW.<p>

I SUCK.

BUT I WAS IN A HURRY.

btdubs, Correlations will be on hold for a while.

leik, three weeks, meybe?

or two.

but yeah. my brain needs rest. from this.

i'll be starting a D18 fic because IT'S IN MY HEAD AND IT WON'T COME OUT.

I SWEAR YO U PPL THAT THE NEXT CHAP WILL BE BETTER.

l:T

i'm sorry. i'll try harder from now on.

GOD I FEEL SO LAME. :I

see you in two-three weeks time~

thnx to those who understand. :D


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